Articles by Andy Brett

China’s emerging car market.

Headlines this morning announced that China's state-run oil firm, the China National Offshore Oil Company, has bid US $18.5 billion for Unocal, the California-based energy company, topping Chevron's bid.

Looks like someone is anticipating a large jump in the number of cars in China; after all, only 1.2 percent of Chinese citizens owned cars in 2000, according to this Wired article. It also notes that:

The booming Chinese auto market, which grew by 76 percent in 2003, is an obvious lure. It's a market still under central control - for the moment, anyway - which means that if Beijing wants to go green, it can go in a huge way.

Guess they don't want to. Or maybe they are bidding on Unocal to turn it into a 100% renewable energy company...

A Virginia suburb goes through those awkward teenage years

Via this morning's Washington Post, Tysons Corner, Virginia, is going through those awkward teenage years: not quite a city, but trying to grow out of teeny-bopper suburb status. Tysons Corner planners are running into difficulties making the area around Route 7 more pedestrian friendly.

Just outside the DC beltway, Tysons Corner drivers have gotten used to all that "green time" and don't want pedestrians stopping up the road for the thirty seconds (it's a big road) it takes them to walk across.

As the planners are quickly finding out, though:

When it comes to building cities, [Gerrit Knaap, director of the National Center for Smart Growth at the University of Maryland] said, "it is better to get things right the first time. It's much more difficult to retrofit."

Washington Post: Exploring Inroads for Tysons Foot Traffic
Google Maps: Aerial photo of Tysons Corner

How to talk to an economist.

When academics get together, it can be pretty entertaining to watch. Sometimes the better part of a meeting or conference is spent hashing out perceived differences only to realize that they have been talking about the same thing using different words. This leaves only the continental breakfast the next morning for some real progress to be made.

The idea of ecosystem valuation is just one example. The folks over at the aptly-named website Ecosystem Valuation have put together some great resources for understanding just what economists are talking about when they tell me I assign passive use value to the Arctic Refuge.

Nuclear and drilling: whatever happened to NIMBY?

Today's LA Times headline should be no surprise by now: "Nuclear Industry Lays Foundation for Comeback." However, here's the opening paragraph:

CLINTON, Ill. -- Along the streets of this economically depressed farming town, optimism is running high that a proposed nuclear power plant could bring in new jobs, give a boost to local retailers and increase taxes for schools.

While the risks of a nuclear plant in your backyard are high, the benefits are great too. I personally know that Perry, Ohio has the nicest high school and athletic facilities around because of the revenue it got from the nuclear facility there.

Drilling in the Arctic Refuge also enjoys popular support from Alaskans.

If we are going to oppose these measures, what can be done to convince the people who will see the most benefits from such projects that it really isn't a good idea? We are facing an uphill battle when rebate checks or increases in school funding are so concentrated and have such a large impact on a small number of people.